In Your Arms
by gaaraluver45
Summary: She knew this was a bad idea. After her break up with Sasuke, why should running into another man's arms help her? Although this was just the fix she so desperately needed.
1. Liar

Summary: She knew this was a bad idea. After her break up with Sasuke, why should running into another man's arms help her? Although this was just the fix she so desperately needed.

Rated M.

_In Your Arms _

"Liar"

"So how are you and Sasuke?" Ino asked, while eying her best friend from behind her martini glass. Their other friends all turned their attention towards her now; seemingly interested in what she had to say about her relationship. This caused Sakura to sigh.

"We are okay. But I think he's hiding something from me." Hiding would be an understatement. He was constantly late for dinner then he would go out right after. He would stay out late on weekends and come back drunk. He hasn't even touched her for a long time. Now she wondered if he was even interested in her anymore. What did she do to lose her touch?

Ino thought for a moment. "Why don't you follow him?"

Hinata gasped a little, "B-but! That's having no trust for your significant other! S-she couldn't possibly do that."

But what Ino had said got her to thinking. _Could _he be cheating on her? What if there _was _some other woman he was hiding from her and expecting too much just like she was? By now, Sakura had hoped to be engaged or even married. Maybe a kid on the way? What if this other woman was having suspicions just like her? Or maybe not, some women didn't care if men were in relationships nowadays…

Tenten sighed. "You know when I had doubts about Neji, I just spiced up our relationship a bit. He came home to a candlelit dinner and some very sexy lingerie, now we don't have any more problems!" She sounded too enthusiastic in that last comment, but no one told her so.

"Look, I'll handle this on my own." But truthfully she was given some good advice. She'll try what Tenten had said at first. Perhaps her suspicions were wrong and Sasuke was just troubled in their relationship. She'll spice it up. Once he comes home for dinner one night, she will give him a surprise of a lifetime.

The rest of the night raced by in a blur, Sakura had just a little too much to drink and now she was stumbling through the park to go home. But she stopped when she saw _him_.

He was holding onto a red haired woman, whispering what looked like naughty thoughts in her ears because she was giggling uncontrollably. "Baby, you've made me so hot… let's go." He said to her just loud enough for Sakura to hear, before getting into a car nearby and the mystery woman following behind him.

_B-but… what? _Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest, so hard it hurt. That's when the tears began to fall. He was cheating on her! She couldn't recognize the woman but why the hell did that matter? He was… he was betraying her trust! This wasn't even her fault!

With a choked sob, she fell to her knees and cried her heart out. So loud, she alerted someone nearby. Then she heard footsteps coming towards her, and she looked up. "M-Mr. Sabaku?!"

There was her boss, standing there with a blank expression on his face. He wore a black suit, meaning he just came from the office; now watching the tears rolling down his co-worker's cheeks. For a while he said nothing, then he bent down and handed her a handkerchief.

She took it from his grasp and dabbed her eyes with it. "I-I'm sorry…" Sakura managed to mumble before standing up. He also straightened his stance, so now he was towering above her. "I didn't mean to startle you."

He was being awfully quiet about all this, which caused her to become a little shy. Now her cheeks flushed a bright red, making his jade green hues widen slightly before he went back to his blank expression. "You can keep that."

Those were the first words he chose to say? That she could keep his handkerchief? He wasn't going to even bother asking her why she was crying. She felt a little insulted, but she guessed he wasn't used to this sort of thing. After all, he was the baby of the family… so his older sister would hide herself when she was upset. How did she know? She caught Temari crying in the female bathroom and she begged Sakura not to tell Gaara. To this day, she still has no idea why she was crying in that stall. But she hasn't asked.

He turned away and began to walk, but then he stopped and looked back. "Are you coming?"

Sakura blinked for a moment before running to catch up to him. What exactly did he want to talk about now? Work? There _were_ new offers from other companies… but she suddenly didn't find herself up for it.

Though before she could say goodbye, Gaara led her into a bar and sat down; dragging her with him. "I'll have a beer." He told the waitress, before looking at Sakura.

"Oh… um… a cosmo?" She asked a little hesitantly. She was already drunk, she didn't need to drink anymore! But her conscience was gone.

Gaara sighed. "What the hell was that Haruno?"

Her eyes glazed over. "U-um… I caught him…"

When Gaara just stared at her, Sakura shifted a little in her seat. Did he not understand what she meant? Didn't he know about her relationship with Sauske Uchiha? He was the police chief after all. Most bystanders looked up to him, though she had no idea why they would. He was nothing but a liar and a cheater!

"My boyfriend. He was cheating on me."

For some reason, Gaara didn't look surprised and that irritated her. "What the hell do you know?"

"I don't know anything. You_ were_ dating him, right?" Gaara asked, though she didn't believe him when he said he knew nothing. There was this look in his eyes. They stated he wasn't going to say anything on the subject because she worked for him.

Gaara frowned and took a sip of the beer the waitress had brought out. Sakura drunk her cosmo in one gulp, causing him to take the cup away. "I think that's enough for you."

Sakura reached for it, but he smacked her hand. "Enough. Honestly, drowning your sorrows in a bottle does nothing for you." His voice was stern and she realized he had never talked to her like that. He's always talked to other co-workers as if they were the children. This was the first time he has ever scolded her like that.

"S-sorry…" She mumbled softly, while fidgeting with her dress. "I'm a-already drunk anyway…"

He sighed. "You are definitely something else."

_Something else…?_

Gaara placed a twenty dollar bill on the table and helped her up, placing her arm around his shoulder. "I'll help you to a cab."

She frowned. "I-I don't want to g-go home…" She said, hiccupping a little in the middle of that sentence.

He growled as they both stepped out on the almost empty street. "Shut up. You need to go home."

A taxi pulled up to the side of the curb. "Where do you live?"

"101 Eagle Street…"

"You heard the woman, take her there and here's a fifty." He paid the cab driver, slammed the door shut and waved once they pulled away.

Sakura slumped in the back seat and grumbled, looking out the window with a blank stare. What the hell was she going to do about Sasuke? Could she confront him? Perhaps that wouldn't be the best idea. She should just let it ride out… she does love him…

Sighing, she thanked the cab driver and stepped out of the car; facing her dark home with empty eyes. She really didn't want to walk inside and see Sasuke. Maybe he wasn't even there… She didn't even think of that possibility…

Summing up her courage, she grabbed her keys from her purse and unlocked the door. No lights were on in the house, meaning Sasuke wasn't there. Why did she choose to live with him in the first place? Now she was going to move out and she didn't have any belongings. Besides her clothes and the guest bed…

She was going to have an empty home.

Being depressed wasn't going to get her anywhere, so instead of staying; she packed up clothes and left the house. She wrote Sasuke a note and told him she was leaving and will be back for her stuff later.

Once she finally arrived at the hotel, Sakura opened the door to her room and threw her bag on the floor; before collapsing on the bed. She was exhausted… after a long day of work, staying out with friends and finding out Sasuke was cheating on her, she just wanted to sleep. And that's exactly what she did.

Hours went by before she woke up. When she checked her cellphone, she had ten missed calls from Sasuke and one from Ino. That must've meant he had called her best friend to try and find her. Oh well, not this time. He wasn't going to beg for forgiveness when he didn't deserve it. Especially after what she saw last night… him embracing another woman… the nerve of that man to call her after that!

Grumbling a little, Sakura sat up and rubbed her eyes. That's when her phone rang again. She almost didn't bother looking at the id until she noticed it was her boss's name. What the hell was he calling her for?! Oh that's right, he was the one who saw her after that mess…

"Hello?" She decided to answer. What if he needed her to come into work?

"_Haruno? I was calling to check on you."_

Sakura was a little surprised by this. "You didn't have to call." Even though she told him that, she was still grateful he bothered to check up on her.

"_After last night, I figured you were sober and thinking straight now. Would you like to come out for some coffee?"_

She hesitated. "Well… alright. Where should we meet at?"

"_Hm… How about Starbucks?"_

Sakura finally agreed and got out of bed. They planned to meet at noon and it was already ten. She decided to take a shower and fix herself pretty. Not for her boss but for herself. She needed some confidence after what she saw. She has no idea why Sasuke would go through the links to cheat on her.

After she was done and ready, she grabbed her purse and walked out the door. Why would Gaara invite her out for coffee? Perhaps she was in trouble? She hated that he saw her so vulnerable… how awkward! Now she would have to face him at her work too! Why did she agree to this again?

Since Starbucks was close to the hotel, Sakura arrived there ten minutes early. Gaara must have thought the same thing because he was already there as well. He took notice of her appearance. She wore a white sun dress that showed off her curves, with white sandals to match. Her hair was curled and bouncing around as she walked through the crowd to get to him.

"Hey…" She said, a little awkwardly. "I appreciate this."

Gaara said nothing, but pushed a coffee cup towards her. He must have known that she liked to drink a vanilla Frappuccino with two spoons of sugar and some milk because that's exactly what he had ordered her. She wanted to ask, but she didn't want to make things even more awkward than they already were.

"Are you alright to come into work on Monday or do you need some time to yourself?"

"I can come into work!" She said, surprised by his question. "I am going to have to look for places to live, but that will be in due time. For now, I will stay in this hotel."

He looked like he was going to comment, but instead he changed the subject. "I did know more than I let on."

She looked at him in surprise. For the first time she has seen her boss look guilty. "What do you mean?"

"Sasuke has been with her for longer than what you have seen. The men in our office talk about it all the time, they don't know you are dating him though."

It was like someone knocked the wind out of her lungs for she did a double take and almost fell out of her chair from the shock. He has been with her the whole time?! Why couldn't she ever notice sooner? How long have they been together? So many questions… with no answers.

Gaara sighed. "Don't take it to heart. It's better that you found out now instead of being married to him and carrying his child now isn't it?" His tone was a little stiffer than usual. But she didn't ask.

She couldn't agree more, though the thought still hurt. What he did was unforgivable, but this meant she would be able to focus on herself. Maybe she should stay single for a while? Find some single girlfriends while she was at it? Most of her friends were in relationships though. This made her sigh. Finding someone to hang out with was going to be very difficult.

"What's the matter?" He must have noticed she sighed.

Sakura frowned and stared at him with a look that meant that he was pretty stupid for asking her that question. "You should already know what's wrong… honestly! I just find out my boyfriend has been cheating on me for a long time and now I have nowhere to live…"

Gaara gave her no expression. "Is that really a way to talk to me?"

"S-sorry…"

He then gave her a small smile. It's the first time she has ever seen him crack something other than a frown. It was a beautiful sight…

She shook her head. _Why am I thinking that? And about my boss no less!_

"What's wrong now?"

This caused her to blush. "N-nothing!"

He gave her a look that obviously meant that he didn't believe her, but he wasn't going to push this issue. She was actually grateful for this. That's when she stood up.

"So is that all then?"

Gaara almost looked like he didn't want her to go. "Alright. Well I will see you Monday then." He stood up as well and shook her hand. "I hope you feel better soon, Haruno…"

She didn't really talk to him much before this. Why was he being so kind to her? Mayb this was way of saying sorry for not telling her about this to begin with? Whatever is reason was, she felt better after this little meeting. Perhaps she should thank him properly somehow?

Without another word, she turned around and waved goodbye before leaving starbucks and Gaara behind. 


	2. Healing Wounds

Summary: She knew this was a bad idea. After her break up with Sasuke, why should running into another man's arms help her? Although this was just the fix she so desperately needed.

Rated M.

_In Your Arms _

"Healing Wounds"

"Can you _stop_ sighing?"

Sakura looked up from her computer to see Temari standing above her. She had a look of annoyance on her face. Apparently she had been sighing all morning and it was starting to get on everyone else's nerves. "S-sorry." She mumbled, then turned her attention back to her computer.

Temari didn't ask her what was wrong. Gaara told her what happened, which was unusual. Obviously the red haired male was worried about the pinkette. This was the first time she's _ever _seen that, but she wasn't going to get into his business. He had his own reasons.

She left Sakura alone then, to her thoughts. Sakura had finally gotten an apartment that she could pay for, which was the best news she's received all week. After work she was going to go check it out. Hopefully the proposal she gave to Gaara was good and he wouldn't make her work overtime again. He's been a little hard on her lately, but she was sure he was just doing it for her benefit. After all, she has been distracted and he wasn't going to let her be.

That's when she sighed again; hearing a few groans of protest around her. Perhaps a little break would do her some good.

Once she made it to the break room, she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard her name in the middle of a conversation. The only thing she could make out was that they were talking about her and Sasuke. She almost fled from the scene, but instead she held her ground. She wasn't going to let this stop her.

But before she could even step in, she heard her boss yell at them both. "You two need to keep your mouths shut. This is a break room, not a gossip room! Get to work, the both of you!"

Sakura saw them both walk out the break room, though they paid no attention to her. Gaara stepped out behind them. "Sakura?"

"O-oh thank you… but I have to take a little break to clear my thoughts."

Gaara gave her a small smile, but it disappeared before she could truly see it. "Alright, just get back to work when you feel the need. Oh and that proposal was good, by the way. I think sales would go through the roof if we used your idea."

He left her then, causing her to blush and smile a little. That's the first time she's felt happy in a while. Hopefully he truly meant those words and he wasn't just saying them to make her feel better. Honestly, that wouldn't be right at all.

Sakura grabbed a can of coffee from the machine and sat down in one of the chairs by the window. So much has happened in the weeks that passed she didn't have time to keep up. Her dad almost chopped her head off when she told him she broke it off with Sasuke. He told her she needed to become his housewife, that she wasn't getting any younger. Her mom had to calm him down. He hasn't said a word to her since.

_Oh man… I'm so tired… _For the past few nights she had been working overtime with her boss. She was pretty sure he was just doing it because he wanted to keep her mind at ease. Sometimes it would work, but damn, she wanted a break from all of this stress!

Sighing again, the pinkette reluctantly made her way back to her desk and sat down. "SAKURA!"

"Yes?!" She yelped, standing up quickly because her boss basically screamed her name.

Gaara frowned. "Why are you still here? GO HOME."

But it wasn't even 5 o'clock yet… and before she could protest he gave her a death glare. Why on earth was he being so nice?! Or well, nice in his own way. Why was he trying to pretend like he didn't care and then when he had the chance he would help her out?

"Go home. You've been working hard all week and I've begin to notice you look a little ill…"

"Now that you mention it… she does look pale. Sakura, just go home." Temari stepped into the conversation, which again, confused her but she definitely did not argue.

Sakura gathered her things and looked back at the office one more time. She swore she saw Gaara smile at her but then she figured it was just her imagination.

The apartment she was staying in was right by her work, which she was thankful for. No more train, no more bikes or cabs… she can walk. Sighing softly one more time, the pinkette opened her apartment door and stepped in.

It was pretty nice, already furnished; which the realtor helped her find that deal. She used her own bed of course, which she took from Sasuke's house not too long ago. Surprisingly Sasuke didn't say a word to her, but she did see that red haired woman in his home. Oh well, he was single now. He could do whatever he wants. That didn't mean it didn't hurt any less.

_Why couldn't he just be honest with me…? _Sakura knows she didn't do anything wrong but the insecurity was definitely there.

Was she not good enough? It was true she lacked in the breast department and she was very small. That red haired woman had curves in all of the right places. Maybe that's why Sasuke left her. Before she knew what she was doing, Sakura fell to her knees and began to cry. With her door wide open.

"Sakura?"

Now there was a familiar voice. "Mr. Sabaku…" She looked up at him, shock evident on her expression.

He showed no emotion. "I live right next door. I didn't know you were living here."

Sakura almost fainted. She had to deal with him at work, now he had to live beside her?! What kind of luck was that?! Did the universe seriously hate her that much?!

"Why are you even crying?" His tone seemed emotionless… cold. He was so nice to her before, perhaps it was just a façade?

She stood up and dusted off her clothing. "No particular reason. I'm surprised you're off so early…"

"I'm not. I'm going to a meeting in a few minutes."

_Then why are you at home? _She wanted to ask, but she didn't open her mouth. Gaara was so mysterious, she had no idea how to react to how he was sometimes. He seemed so nice, but then again he seemed so cold and distant. _Why are you putting up a front with me, Gaara?_

"Anyway, get some rest. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

And that was the end of their conversation.

* * *

><p>"Ah, that smells so good." After her bath, Sakura decided to cook dinner. She decided to make sushi, but it seemed she made too much. Perhaps she should ask…<p>

_No! You shouldn't ask your boss to have dinner with you! _But the thought still remained. She wanted to thank him properly for helping her out when he found her that night. The next day was pretty good too. Lately he's been so hard on her at work, that her mind has been on work instead of on Sasuke. Maybe he was trying to show her kindness…?

Summing up her courage, Sakura made her way out her apartment and went next door to his. Hesitating a little, she finally knocked on the door. He answered almost immediately. Though Sakura had wished he hadn't.

He was wearing a tanktop with red sweatpants, his muscles glinting with sweat. That must have meant he was working out? How embarrassing! She was not used to seeing him without a suit! Her face flushed, which caused him to blink confusedly.

"What is it?"

Sakura coughed and looked away. "I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner. I wanted to thank you for when you helped me out so many times and you didn't have to."

Gaara stared at her for a moment, hesitated, but then he finally agreed. "Yes, just let me shower. I will be at your apartment in ten minutes."

Before she had a chance to reply, he had already shut the door in her face. What in the hell was that? Why was her heart beating so damn hard?! She never knew how handsome her boss really was. He had muscles _everywhere_…

_Geez, I'm going to have a heart attack with him as my neighbor! _She said, sighing again as she stepped into her apartment. _Ten minutes, huh? _

After those minutes ticked by, Sakura heard a knock on the door. She didn't want to rush but she didn't want to be slow either. So she quickly went to the door and opened it; seeing him stand there with black sweatpants and a white long-sleeve shirt. What he was wearing before was so different to this. Perhaps he didn't like showing off his muscles?

She showed him in and led him to the living room, where they'd be eating. She figured it would be a little awkward between them, so she thought a t.v. show during dinner would lighten things up a bit.

Gaara sat down and looked at the food suspiciously. "Sushi?" He asked, as he began to poke it with his chopsticks.

"Y-yes. Do you not like sushi?" Perhaps she should have asked what he wanted first…

He blinked. "No, I do. It just looks a little weird…"

When he said that, she almost choked on the piece she bit off of. What the hell was that supposed to mean?! Her mom taught her how to cook this! What a jerk! "You should try it."

Gaara almost looked as if he was protesting, but finally he took a bite. "…Delicious." He said, as if it was the most surprising thing in the world.

_Wow, he really knows how to insult a girl. _She thought to herself, while they both ate in silence. The t.v. echoed in the background, but she wasn't really listening. Being so close to Gaara while he was dressed in his normal attire was sort of intimidating. It was no secret that he was a very handsome man, but she only just noticed this until now. Perhaps it's because she was lonely?

"Sakura?"

She dropped her chopsticks when he suddenly called her name. "O-oh! I'm sorry."

As she reached for it, Gaara was thinking the same thing; especially since he was the cause of her dropping them. That's when their fingers brushed against one another, causing her to jump back with a jolt. _What the hell is wrong with you?!_ She asked herself, her face flushing a little. _This is just Gaara! He isn't going to bite your damn head off! Geez, pull it together…_

Gaara handed her the chopsticks, with a small smile on his face. "You're just a klutz, aren't you?"

_That smile… _Sakura's heart leapt to her throat as she stared at his lips. This one was more relaxed and it was so beautiful, she was entranced. Why didn't he smile like that more often?

"Sakura?"

"OH!" She blushed and took them from his grasp. "T-thank you…"

He gave her a look of confusion, before turning his attention back towards the t.v. The news was on, but she wasn't focused on that. She was looking at her boss, who was sitting beside her; in _normal_ clothing, just having dinner and a casual conversation. It feels like they were getting to know each other better. Was it just her or should she not read so much into it? Why was she thinking like this anyway?

Gaara was definitely a mystery, perhaps she should just not get involved. Easier said than done, however. Especially with how kind he was being to her…

His eyes were gentle now, but so very cold at work. Was it because of her or was it something else? Did he have a girlfriend? Oops, she didn't even think of that! But maybe he wouldn't have accepted if he did. Or not, she knew how untrustworthy some people were…

Sasuke's face popped into her mind, but she shook it away. Now was not the time to be thinking of such a hurtful man!

"You need to stop thinking of him so much, it will only cause you pain further. Give yourself time to heal."

She blinked at him as he stood up with his plate. "Thank you for dinner, Sakura."

And as he walked away, she looked down and blushed again. That was the first time he's ever said her name with such a gentle tone.

Her heart pounded within her chest wildly, surprising her a little bit. What was this feeling? Nervousness? Anxiousness? She had no idea and she didn't really want to find out either. Perhaps he was right and she just needed to focus on her healing her broken heart.

"Gaara! Don't worry about those, I'll get them!"

He looked at her for a moment. "It's the least I can do…"

"Your eyes are beautiful, did you know that?"

He froze and she almost smacked herself in the face. She couldn't help it, his eyes were just so green and big… so beautiful. It was like the words were out of her mouth before her mind could process such a thing. Why, why did she have to be so stupid?

"…Thanks." He said, despite the awkward atmosphere in the air.

Sakura sighed and watched him clean the rest of the dishes before he left her apartment. "I appreciate the food." He told her as she watched him go. His voice didn't sound gentle at all.

Maybe she just needed to keep her mouth shut from now on.

But… just exactly why did she say that?

She stayed up all night and couldn't figure out the answer.


	3. The Truth

Summary: She knew this was a bad idea. After her break up with Sasuke, why should running into another man's arms help her? Although this was just the fix she so desperately needed.

Rated M.

I am so thrilled people are liking this story! I really hope you stay with me until the end. And whoever is reading "Bad Boy" I am sorry, but I am at a loss for what to do with it. I was at a hiatus until I figured out this story. Hopefully after this is over, I can continue it! But if not, I may have to delete it…

Anyway, if you have any suggestions for me, please go ahead and say them! I decided to take a reviewer's comment and write this chapter in Gaara's POV. Perhaps it'll clear things up or confuse you even more!

Haha, enjoy.

_In Your Arms _

"The Truth"

Gaara stood near the entrance to his apartment building, cigarette in hand and a magazine in the other for him to read. Though none of it had really interested him. He had been out there for a while, deciding that fresh air would do him some good. Since he didn't have to work tomorrow, he had no idea how he would spend his night. Working out wasn't an option, he was still too sore from the day before. Perhaps he should ask Naruto to go out with him for some drinks? Ever since that knucklehead got married, they've barely seen one another.

That's when he sighed. _Or maybe… _Sakura's face appeared in his head. _No, that's not an option. _He told himself before he even had the chance to think about asking her to do something. Lately he's stopped chatting with her at work as much and since she's moved in next door, he's tried his best to avoid her at all costs. Why? Well, he certainly had no idea… he just didn't want to confuse her… or himself.

The sound of heels clicking across the pavement caught his attention. Speak of the devil, Sakura was stumbling down the street, obviously drunk out of her mind. There was a strange man beside her and before she even had a chance to enter the building, he put his cigarette out and placed it in the trash can, making his way towards her.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" He asked the man, grabbing his arm painfully.

"G-Gaara, it's alright… he's with me…" Gaara looked towards her and saw her eyes. She was so drunk that her eyes were half closed. He knew she would regret this in the morning. Amazingly he was standing out there to save her.

"Get the hell out of here." He growled to the man, causing him to run off. "Go back to your apartment, Sakura and make better decisions. I can't be here to save you every time you try to bring a man back home to sleep with."

Sakura glared at him. "I don't need you to save me! Ever since my break up with Sasuke, I've been so lonely…" She trailed off. "My confidence is gone… and maybe I'm b-being stupid, but…" Tears were already streaming down her cheeks at that point.

Gaara sighed irritably. This girl was working his nerves. After all he's done for her, she was just going to waste herself away in drinking and partying until she forgets? Perhaps he gave her too much credit before. She is a pathetic waste!

"Listen, I don't care…" He said, while glaring back at her. "Go home. Next time I won't be bothered to save you."

She was surprised to hear this. Maybe she wanted him to fight for her? As if, he hasn't done that since his break-up three years ago.

"Yes you do, otherwise you wouldn't have helped me so much! Nor would you have shown me such a side of you where you are smiling."

His eyes trailed to her lips before he spoke. "Well that was a mistake obviously if you don't need my help. I was only showing you sympathy, I don't care about you. You're my co-worker and I need you to stay focused on work, not thinking of Sasuke. That's why I've been so hard on you, that's why I've tried helping you…"

But she could tell he was lying, no matter how hard he tried to deny that he cared for her. Gaara has always been a bad liar and she knew it, he knew it. Damn, everyone at the office besides the bosses knew it. When he lied, he wouldn't look the person in the face; he'd look at their lips. She was very observant, but he didn't know she was this smart.

"Go the hell home." He waved her away and this time she really did go, while he watched her. _Sakura, you wouldn't understand. It'd be better if I just stayed away._

After that, he called Naruto up and asked if he wanted to go to Kakashi's bar. The bar wasn't that popular, but that old pervert didn't mind. He was the manager of the famous author Jiraiya, so he had more money than he'd ever admit to him, but Gaara knew. Naruto was too stupid to figure it out for himself, so he usually acted dense about the subject; as always.

Once Gaara made it to the bar, he sat down at the counter and ordered sake. Kakashi looked at him in surprise, but he gave it to him anyway. "Something bothering you?" He asked, despite knowing it would be better if he didn't.

"Nothing."

"Bull, you always order sake when something is bugging you."

Damn, he was as nosy as ever. That was right, every time he was mad he would come here and order sake, to clear his thoughts. Maybe it wasn't the best solution, but he didn't really care at that moment. He just wanted to drown his sorrows.

He sighed. "Sakura."

"Oh, I know what you mean. Sasuke came in here the other night with his lovely red haired companion. Sakura was sitting at the bar with Ino and she almost burst into tears. He knew she came here often, but he came here anyway."

Gossip. This was the best place to hear such things. "She comes here? I've never seen her here."

"You two seem to always miss each other." He said, while cleaning a beer mug. "As I was saying, Ino had to drag her out of here. I've never seen that blond woman so pissed." Kakashi chuckled. "Well that is her best friend, so I assume they have a sisterly bond. Honestly, what to do…"

"About what?"

"About that girl. She was so damn depressed, but I could hear her talking about you."

Gaara seemed a little shocked to hear this. "What about me?"

Kakashi smiled, his good eye crinkling with amusement of his interest. "She was telling Ino of how nice you were being to her and she had no idea why."

"I see a little of myself in her. You remember my break-up three years ago… she tore my world apart. I just wanted to be sure she was alright. I was at my end and almost did some terrible things. Well I did some terrible things, but that's besides that point."

Kakashi changed his tune immediately. He remembered that night perfectly. When Gaara walked into his bar, eyes bloodshot from the smoking he did and how much alcohol he had that night. The whole neighborhood was talking about it. How his fiancée cheated on him, broke it off and stole half of his money. That messed him up, sure. But him wanting Sakura to feel better about her break up with Sasuke was sort of amazing. Ever since then, he never looked at another woman the same. He never smiled and he always had this cold look in his eyes.

"What's so special about her, Gaara?"

"We grew up together. All of us. I'm not sure they remember, besides Naruto. Sasuke was always a mean bastard and I absolutely couldn't stand him. But Sakura was always so infatuated with him and I never understood why…" He took a deep breath and downed another glass of sake. "I moved away and didn't come back until years later. Sakura and Sasuke began dating, that's when I ended up alone. I don't think she remembered that we always used to play together."

This has to be the most Gaara has talked to him. "I'm surprised you're confiding in me. You usually tell me to shut up."

Gaara growled. "Don't get used to it, old man."

"GAARA!" A familiar voice yelled in the distance, causing the few people who were in the bar to turn towards the entrance. There stood Naruto with a worried look in his expression as he hurried over. Once he was there, Gaara explained the situation.

Naruto sat there with a gin and tonic, surprisingly deep in thought. "Why don't you tell Sakura? We were all so close when younger and now it seems like we're all so far away."

"I'd prefer it this way. I'm her boss, not her friend."

The blond frowned. "But you cared a lot about her and still do. I can see it in your expression." Naruto then smiled softly. "You don't know the soft looks you get in your eyes when you talk about her. You may hide it in the office ever since your break-up, but not to me!" He said, acting happy.

"Shut up, you bonehead. I just needed to think things through. I shouldn't get too involved, what happened was none of my business."

"But you made it your business. Come on man! Stop being so scared of anything real. She's_ finally_ single and I bet if you told her _the truth_ of things, everything would turn around."

"ENOUGH!" He yelled, a little too loud, since he startled everyone else around him. "I am not here to be convinced of some silly little infatuation I may have had when I was younger. I came here to think, that's it." His voice was cold and now he was confused.

Naruto closed his mouth instantly and gave his friend a sad stare. _Gaara, stop being so… afraid. _He was surprised his friend, who was always so strong, had his own moments of weakness. When he was called three years ago, Gaara was torn inside. He didn't even know what to do for his friend and he was usually so good with helping others.

The blond sighed. "Look, I can't help you if you don't give me a chance. Just try it, alright? Perhaps she would like to remember the old you. You never know."

"Naruto… if she truly wanted me in her life, she wouldn't have forgotten me in the first place."

Neither Naruto nor Kakashi could argue with that.

That's when their night ended and Gaara was back in his apartment, laying on his bed. He guessed his bedroom was right next to hers, since he could hear her muffled sobs through the wall and it was irking his nerves. Not because she was crying, but for the reason she was crying. That idiot wasn't worth her tears anymore.

He was debating whether or not to bang on her door and tell her he could hear her, but he figured that would just upset her more.

Gaara was never the type to give a shit about anybody. When he was younger, he hung around with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. They were his three best friends and he cared about them so much. But then he moved away. When he got to Hiroshima, he was bullied and that's when he toughened himself up. He got into a lot of fights and hung around the wrong crowd.

Finally, they moved back. But Sakura had forgotten all about him. The only ones who recalled their times together were Sasuke and Naruto. The blond stayed by his side, but Sasuke did not.

Amazingly that didn't bother him. But Sakura not remembering him hurt a little. That's when he met the woman he thought he was going to marry until she betrayed his very being. He's hated women ever since and has only used them for pleasure and personal gain.

When Sakura joined his company's firm he became her boss. She worked in sales with him and a few others she used to go to school with. She still didn't remember him.

It didn't matter, he didn't really want her to remember. He's always pup up a front with everyone, she was no different. Sometimes he would be nice, others he would be very cold. Why? He has no idea, he just didn't want anyone else to get close to him ever again.

_I've had enough…_

Gaara turned on his music and placed his headphones in his ears. If she was going to cry, so be it. He never cried, never showed weakness. Not even when his father died in a car accident. Lately, he's just been emotionless; but there has always been something about her…

With Sakura in his mind, he drifted off to sleep.


	4. Old Friends

Summary: She knew this was a bad idea. After her break up with Sasuke, why should running into another man's arms help her? Although this was just the fix she so desperately needed.

Rated M.

_In Your Arms _

"Old Friends"

Sakura woke up with an enormous headache. Perhaps she drank a little too much last night, but this seemed to be how she spent her time now. In the bar with Ino, drinking until she couldn't remember all of the pain. Even if that was the wrong way to handle things, she didn't really care. It helped her forget…

She looked to the other side of her bed and sighed with relief when she realized no one was there. Maybe she really did need to stop drinking so much. She doesn't want to end up in bed with a stranger and regretting it in the morning. Something was nagging at her though. What couldn't she remember from last night? So much of it, but there was this one part that was bugging her. What happened when she got home?

"Ugh…" She groaned a little and placed a hand on her forehead, hating how she felt. Since she had a hangover, she decided to make herself some porridge. That might help, it might not. She didn't really care at that point, she needed _something_.

Standing, the pinkette looked at her mirror that faced her bed; noticing how terrible she looked. There were bags under her eyes and they seemed to shine. That meant she was crying last night, which was unusual. "Why did I start crying last night?" She asked herself, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Instead of trying to figure it out, Sakura left her room and went to the kitchen. But the scene ahead of her surprised her a little bit. It seemed she was way too drunk last night and messed everything up. She sighed irritably. _Why the hell did you drink so much, idiot!_ She thought to herself, while she began to clean most of the food she took out of the pantry cabinets.

Once she was done, she began to make the soup she desperately needed that morning. "How stupid and irresponsible of me…" She mumbled to herself softly. Lately all she did was drink and go out with Ino; even on work nights! Perhaps she should stop, none of this was healthy.

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

Her phone was going off. "Hm?" Sakura looked at her cell which was placed on the kitchen table and noticed "Naruto" on the caller ID. He hasn't called her in a long time, what possibly could he want?

She answered. "Hello?"

Naruto almost exclaimed with joy. _"Sakura! It's so great to hear from you… listen…" _He trailed off and it sounded as if Hinata was telling him to hurry up. _"We need to talk. Can we meet up somewhere?"_

Sakura thought for a moment. "Naruto, I don't feel good at all."

"_You were drunk last night, weren't you?"_

Her silence gave him his answer. _"Fine, then I'm coming over. Be there in ten to fifteen minutes!" _He hung up before she could even protest, which made her growl slightly. That idiot was just going to make her damn headache worse!

Right when she was about to eat her food, the doorbell rang; which caused her to sigh. She stood up and made her way to the door; opening it and finding the blond standing there with Hinata, who was smiling shyly. She hasn't seen either one of them in a long time. It was as if since they got married, they were too busy to really go out and be with others. Oh well, it was none of her concern.

"Honestly, this is on short notice. I'm tired and cranky." Sakura said, her tone sharp.

Naruto ignored her and stepped in; guiding Hinata inside with him. They both took off their shoes at the front door and went to the living room, without even asking for permission. Since this was her old friends, she didn't really mind. Still, they could have been more polite.

Sakura made her way towards them and sat back down to eat. "S-Sakura, I'll make some tea. Is that fine?" Hinata asked, with a small voice.

The pinkette nodded and began to eat, ignoring Naruto's stare. "What did you want?"

Naruto sighed. "I know it's been a while and I'm sorry I didn't even come see you when you broke it off with Sasuke…" He looked at his hands and realized how much of a bad friend he was being. Work was just too busy lately and he couldn't find the time.

"I've been busy with work… Sakura, I haven't told anyone yet but Hinata's pregnant."

This caused Sakura to stop eating and a smile spread across her lips. "Really? That's fantastic news though!"

He hesitated. "Um yeah, I guess… but that's not the real reason I came here today."

She blinked slightly in confusion, noticing the awkward look in his eyes. What in the world did he need to talk about with her? "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm alright… but you really need to hear some things Sakura. When we were younger, you don't remember the third person you used to play with?"

"It was only you and Sasuke. What do you mean?" But for some reason, since he brought it up, she does remember another boy. He was there, though she couldn't recall who exactly it was. "Now that you mention though, I can picture someone else. He's blurry and I can't remember."

Naruto sighed. "It was Gaara."

_GAARA? Does he mean my boss?! There's absolutely no way! _She thought to herself, surprised by this new information she just received. If it was really him, why didn't he bother to say anything to her? Now she felt horrible… she forgot all about him…

"I don't understand how I could forget another person."

"Well you did. Honestly, I don't know how you did either! But you seriously need to make nice with him."

Sakura glared at him for a moment. "You don't need to tell _me_ what to do. He's my boss, we can't really be hanging out all of the time anyway."

"Why? It's not like your office has rules of that sort of thing."

That was true, but she still didn't want to push her luck. If others saw them together, they might start rumors. Bad ones. It couldn't ruin Gaara and he could also lose his job. She didn't want that to happen, so it would be better if she didn't say anything… Maybe this whole thing was just a mistake in the first place. She closed her eyes and sighed slightly.

"Look, I appreciate you looking after me… but this is for the best." Somehow, Sakura's heart just wouldn't believe that, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself.

* * *

><p>Work on Monday raced by and it was already 5 o'clock, signaling the end of the day. Sakura stood up from her desk and turned; almost slamming into her boss in the process. He was staring at her with a blank expression, his eyes meeting her own.<p>

"I need you to stay late." His tone was harsh and he smacked a pile of papers on top of her desk. "These are for Tsunade; my boss, which is also technically your boss. Since your plan for the exchange was approved, we need more details. Get started and I want it on my desk before tomorrow." With that said, he turned and walked away from her to go back to his own desk.

Sighing, Sakura thought their relationship was now worse than ever. He couldn't treat her differently, but he definitely was and she was debating whether or not to go to Tsunade about it. But what could she even explain? That Gaara was only making _her _work late nights and she thought it was unfair? Tsunade would have a field day with that one…

She sat down and began to work, typing furiously on her keyboard. She could feel his stare on her and she wondered if he wanted to speak to her, but that wasn't what she needed at that moment. She had to focus on this paperwork so she could go home…

"You can't say you think in every other sentence."

Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt him standing behind her. How long had he been standing there anyway?! He almost gave her a heart attack! After calming herself down, she turned towards him slowly and frowned. "What's your problem?" She finally asked, since they were alone in the office.

He stared at her for a moment. "Nothing."

She rolled her eyes. "You've always been a bad liar, Gaara."

_Always? _Gaara glared at her then. "You don't know me."

"Man, Naruto came over and told me everything. I have no idea why I forgot you, but you can't keep holding a grudge against me! I'm going home!" She stood up and met his glare, before stomping away. Gaara just stayed behind in shock; surprised that she defied her own boss.

Once she finally made it to her apartment building, she heard Gaara call out her name. She turned around and almost instantly came face to face with him. "What do you want?"

He forced her against the wall; his anger evident with his expression. She has never seen him so pissed off, though she was meeting his anger with her own. He didn't scare her, not one bit and that's when she matched his glare head on. "Let go of me, Gaara!"

His jaw tensed and she could tell he was holding himself back. "Don't you understand what it means? Messing with a man's feelings?"

Her eyes widened a little bit. "I'm not even messing with your feelings." She closed her eyes, while looking away. She struggled against his grasp until he grabbed her chin and forced it to look at him.

"I feel as if… I lose my self-control against you. When I saw you walk into our office on your first day, my heart nearly stopped inside of my chest. _You_ do this to me Sakura." He was so close to her that he could feel her breath on his cheek; which caused his mind to become a little distracted. With a shake of his head, Gaara grabbed her hand and placed it where his heart would be, showing her how hard it was pounding. "You do this Sakura… _You_." That's when he let her go.

Gaara walked away from her then, disappearing into their apartment building. To say she was shocked was an understatement. Sliding down to sit, the pinkette looked at the ground and sighed. _You do this Sakura… you. _His words echoed inside of her head and she couldn't help but wonder why.


	5. The Promise

Summary: She knew this was a bad idea. After her break up with Sasuke, why should running into another man's arms help her? Although this was just the fix she so desperately needed.

Rated M.

_In Your Arms _

"The Promise"

"_Will you marry me one day, Sakura?!"_

"_You bet I will Gaara! I promise!"_

Gaara had no idea why that memory popped into his dream last night. He remembered so clearly of what he had asked Sakura before he had to move away. Why did that have to come up now of all nights? Maybe it was because he confessed and told the pinkette that his heart only beat for her. Even though he was with his last girlfriend, he never stopped thinking about her.

He sighed softly and turned in his bed; looking out his window. The moon shined brightly upon his face, reflecting his pale skin perfectly. She had popped into his mind several times when he was with that girl… when he was alone, it didn't matter. Sakura was the only woman he could never get over.

Sure, he dated in high school… but in truth; that beautiful girl who was dating Uchiha Sasuke was the only one he wanted to be with. Now that they were broken up, he wanted to be there for her. Not to win her over, he just wanted to make sure she was alright. They were very good friends when they were little and even though she didn't remember, he still considered her his first love.

Standing now, Gaara sighed and wondered why he just couldn't go back to sleep. That girl… she has been plaguing his mind all day. Running his hands through his hair, he jumped when he suddenly heard yelling at the outside of his door. "What the hell?"

Suddenly wide awake, he rushed to his door and opened it quickly; noticing two people standing there arguing. He would have never guessed that it was Sasuke and Sakura either. Eyes widening a bit, he hid himself just enough so he could hear most of their argument. How did that Uchiha bastard know where she lived in the first place?

"I don't love you anymore, Sasuke! You need to leave right now!"

He chuckled. "You will always love me Sakura…"

Gaara frowned and was about to shut the door, knowing she wouldn't really have a rebuttal. Until he heard her next words. "No… don't even go there, you bastard! You're the one who cheats on me and then you have the nerve to come crawling back? Like I will forgive you? Just like that?! You have lost your mind Sasuke Uchiha! Go back to your whore and get out of my life!" She slammed the door in his face. Feeling a small grin approaching his lips, Gaara quickly closed his door so Sasuke wouldn't realize he was listening in.

_Serves him right… good job, Sakura. _Though he wasn't going to stop there. Once he heard Sasuke walk away, he left his apartment and went straight for hers; knocking on her door. When she opened it, she started talking to him as if he were Sasuke. She suddenly stopped when she realized it was Gaara.

"G-Gaara?" Sakura asked, surprised to see him standing at her doorstep. "Did you hear all that?" Her voice was quiet, meaning she would be embarrassed if he did.

Sighing a bit, he nodded. "Yes I did. But good for you, standing up for yourself this time." His eyes were gentle and she felt herself swoon a bit at how beautiful he seemed just then.

Blushing, she patted her cheeks with embarrassment. "Ah… thank you. Hopefully he won't come back. I don't even know how he found out where I lived…"

Gaara thought for a moment. "Are you sure you don't have a stalker or something?"

Sakura looked at her feet. _A stalker? _"I'm not sure. If I do, he's being real discreet." She sighed softly and leaned against the doorframe. What if she _was _being followed? That's a scary thought.

"I know things have been weird between us… but can we just… forget everything that had made things awkward?"

Sakura smiled when he asked her this. "Of course we can! I'm sorry too…" She trailed off. Would things go back to normal now? How normal could things get? She wasn't sure if she could get the words he told her that night out of her mind. Did this mean he had feelings for her? Sakura couldn't ask, but she was definitely curious.

"I'll let you sleep."

* * *

><p>The rest of the week went by in a blur and it was Saturday; Sakura's relaxation day. She wasn't too sure how relaxed she would be able to be, especially since Naruto had invited her over for a party he and Hinata planned on having. She was going to tell everyone the surprise there; about her pregnancy.<p>

Sakura already knew, but she was glad they invited her. Maybe Gaara would be there? Shaking her head, the pinkette snapped those thoughts immediately out of her mind. "You shouldn't be thinking of him anyhow." Even as she said this, she knew it was inevitable. Ever since the red head came by, telling her she did a good job standing up to Sasuke and such... she hasn't been able to get him out of her mind.

Sighing, the pinkette knocked on her friend's door, waiting for one of them to answer. Should she talk to Naruto about this? Some of the memories of her red haired friend were returning to her, but she was still clueless on most of it.

"Hey Sakura!" Naruto opened the door and brought his friend in for a hug, nearly squeezing her to death.

"N-Naruto! Watch out for the soup I brought!"

Naruto pulled away and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry Sakura. Thanks for bringing that, you didn't have to. Hinata already cooked."

Sakura smiled, though it didn't really reach her eyes. What was this sad feeling in the pit of her heart? Perhaps it was because her best friend was with the love if his life and Sakura was left nowhere? Maybe she should have listened to her mother and ended the relationship a long time ago. Mebuki Haruno was no Sasuke fan. But, of course the pinkette didn't listen.

In fact, she hasn't seen her mother since their last fight.

_"You're foolish to be with that man!"_

"_I can date who I want mom! You know what, when Sasuke-kun asks me to marry him, you don't have to be there!"_

_"Yeah right! How about when that man breaks your heart and leaves you, then you won't have to worry about me ever being in your life again!"_

_"Good!"_

Sakura sighed from the thought. How foolish of her to not listen to her mom. Not only that, she didn't bother calling her, or try to fix things. She just left her mother in tears and hasn't spoke to her since. Maybe she should tell her mother how things were going though she wasn't too sure how well that would turn out.

Shaking her head from her thoughts, she realized she was sitting on their couch in the living room, her friends and such surrounding her. Though there was someone she definitely didn't _expect _to see there.

Gaara stood across the room, drink in hand as he talked to Lee. She wasn't too sure when they became friends, they had always been enemies last time she remembered. It was none of her business… but she couldn't' help but be curious.

That's when his bright green hues met her own. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise and she blushed when he gave her a smile. She knew he didn't like smiling, but he was doing it towards her… why?

_Oh my… he's walking over! _He had left Lee and started heading towards her until Ino had stopped his advances. With a sigh of relief, Sakura scurried away so he wouldn't talk to her. She didn't know why the blond stopped in front of him, but she didn't mind.

As she walked up the stairs, she came to a hallway; where several pictures of their family hung up. Sakura was feeling a little sad at the moment. Would she ever get to find that again?

"Thought you could get away?"

Sakura jumped a little when she heard his voice and she turned her head towards him, surprise evident in her features. How did he know where she was? "Did you follow me?"

With his drink in hand, Gaara walked towards her and stood beside her; looking at the picture of Hinata and Naruto posing at their wedding. "You know, I couldn't go to their wedding because I was at my father's funeral. He died around that time and I've regretted not choosing their wedding over that."

The pinkette blinked. "But that's your father."

He looked at her now with a blank expression. "He was a horrible man. Greedy, selfish… all the things I refused to be. He left me his empire but I refused to take such a thing and gave it to Kankuro… my brother."

"Kankuro is your brother?" Wow, she really didn't put that together even though they shared the same last name. She didn't even realize Temari was his older sister until she told her. That just goes to show how much she was only thinking of herself and Sasuke. "Huh, I never knew."

Gaara shook his head. "You really don't pay attention do you?"

Sakura giggled softly. "You caught me."

With a soft sigh, Gaara placed his hand on her cheek; his eyes never leaving hers. "Even though I really only pay attention to you."

"You know… when we were kids… we made a promise to one day get married?"

The pinkette was surprised to hear this and it was evident on her face. "W-we did…?" She hesitated for a moment. Was what he was saying true? How could that be? Why would she promise him that?

"Yes…" Gaara slowly brought himself lower as if he was going to kiss her and Sakura had no idea what to do. He was barely brushing her lips though a voice called out; "Gaara! Sakura!" They jumped away from one another before Ino made it up the stairs. "Naruto and Hinata are waiting for you guys so they could share the "big news." Come on!"

Once the blond left, Gaara gave her another very handsome smile before heading down the stairs. Sakura followed after him in a daze. She was kind of upset that their moment was ruined once again, but why did it bother her? Did she want something more to happen?

Her heart was pounding hard. It's been possibly a month or two when Sasuke and her broke up but… this was moving on too fast wasn't it?

When she made it downstairs, all of her friends were sitting on the furniture as Naruto and Hinata stood in front of their television so they were smack dab in the middle. She could see Hinata's dad, her cousin, and her sister sitting together; anticipating their news. Sakura wasn't too sure what to make of that.

"We gathered you all here today to bring some important news. I'm… p-pregnant." Hinata said softly, a big smile appearing on her lips as she did so. It was quiet for a moment and Sakura almost thought everyone was about to have a heart attack.

But then there were yells of happiness and congratulations going around. The pinkette smiled and watched as everyone went up to them and told them their blessings. Then her smile faded.

What if she really never found her true love? Then her eyes darted over towards Gaara who was shaking Naruto's hand and patting him on the back. What was this feeling in her heart? Why did she promise that? And why didn't she remember?

Sakura couldn't answer her own questions.

* * *

><p>AN: I hated the ending… But I'm going to continue this story as best as I can. I love you guys. Trying to take it slow this time and not make them fall in love so fast. Hope you're enjoying it. Sorry it was so late!


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